VA HQ Veterans News for Monday, August 29, 2011.  Thanks to Kevin Secor at VA HQ

1.    'We Honor Veterans' helps with hospice care.  Wilkes Barre Times-Leader  'We Honor Veterans,' a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and US Department of Veterans Affairs, helps hospice professionals meet the unique needs of dying veterans. The program teaches respectful inquiry, ...

2.    Veteran groups take homelessness seriously.  Reading Eagle  Many US war veterans are struggling, including those in Reading and Berks County. The US Department of Veteran Affairs estimates that, on any given night, 131000 veterans are without a home. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, ...

3.    The life and death of an Oregon Guardsman illustrates a national tragedy.  OregonLive.com (blog)  Nobody knows how many recent veterans like him have killed themselves, though a study disclosed last year by the US Department of Veterans Affairs showed the suicide rate among men aged 18-29 who left the military jumped 26 percent between 2005 and ...

4.    Money secured for apartments for homeless veterans.  Houston Chronicle  ... will seek the rest of the money from private organizations and foundations, and will also apply for low-income housing tax credits. The project is part of an effort by the US Department of Veterans Affairs to curb homelessness among veterans.

5.    Local veterans see benefits in Joliet VA clinic.  Morris Daily Herald  World War II veteran Elmo Ray Younger of Morris, past commander of the county's Disabled American Veterans chapter and two-term state DAV commander, believes the Joliet facility will be a tremendous boost to the morale of area veterans. ...

6.    Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs honors Benton resident.  IGNN   –The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) this Sunday (August 28th) will honor John Metzger, a Benton resident and United States Army veteran, as its August 2011 “Veteran of the Month” during a ceremony at the DuQuoin State Fair in ...

7.    Vets get helping hands.  Brunswick News  People went to get clothing, vaccinations from the Glynn County Health Department, aid information from Social Security, local, state and federal veterans service organizations, and the Georgia Department of Labor. Senters said he was grateful for the ...

8.    Women find peace at home for veterans, homeless.  Bakersfield Californian  While resources are available to women, there is no transitional housing specifically for women veterans in Kern County funded by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, she said. According to a US Department of Housing and Urban Development-required ...

9.    Local veteran honored for volunteerism.  Crossville Chronicle  CROSSVILLE undefined The Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs feels congratulations are in order for one local veteran. Since December 2009, Joe White of Crossville has been traveling to Tennessee State Veterans' Homes, a system of facilities established ...

10.A real tribute to 9/11: Help returning veterans.  Baltimore Sun  11, the VA Maryland Health Care System has changed to meet the needs of our nation's newest returning veterans. We have increased our services for women veterans, the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population, and we have implemented innovative ...

11.Marine's Uncommon Valor In Afghanistan Garners Medal Of Honor. San Diego Union-Tribune  Cpl. Dakota Meyer "was the youngest on the team assigned to mentor Afghan security forces. Until that day, the 21-year-old Marine's worst firefight had been in the video game Call of Duty." But Meyer's deeds on "Sept. 8, 2009, during that six-hour battle made the Commandant of the Marine Corps misty eyed." As their vehicle veered into a ravine while "rocket-propelled grenades exploded in the air," Meyer continuously "hopped off the truck to drag" the wounded inside. Meyer saved the lives of "13 Marines and 23 Afghan soldiers, and he killed at least eight insurgents that day." Meyer will be "awarded the Medal of Honor during a ceremony at the White House on Sept. 15, making him the first living Marine to receive the distinction since 1973."

12.Protestors Rally For Iowa Job Creation. Des Moines Register  "Iowans from different unions and progressive organizations around the state gathered on the south side of the Polk County Courthouse" on Saturday morning to "make a statement to Congress for job creation." The crowd comprising about "40 adults and children stood on the steps" carrying signs, with such slogans as, "Recess is over, get us back to work." Iraq veteran Steve Cotter, a "carpenter with the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs," who received notice earlier this month that he "will be unemployed after Sept. 8" was among the crowd.

13.Military Sexual Trauma Is Commonplace, Women Vets Say. McAllen (TX) Monitor "'I was never sexually assaulted,' says Army veteran Eui-Jo Marquez, 31, of Long Beach. 'But I did experience sexual harassment,'" which was a daily occurrence "for every woman in the military." Dr. Lori Katz, Director of the Women's Mental Health Center at the Long Beach VA says that is the "ugly truth" about the prevalence of military sexual trauma (MST) in "today's military." Dr. Katz says veterans are more likely to develop PTSD from the trauma of MST "than from combat."

14.Start Soon. Baldwin County (AL) News "Construction of the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spanish Fort may begin within two months now that the US Secretary of Veterans Affairs approved a $7,015,564 grant for the project." After noting that the approval was made on Wednesday, the News points out that "Bill Callendar, the cemetery committee chairman for the South Alabama Veterans Council, said the grant was wonderful news and has been a long time coming." 

15. Defense Cuts Will Make Or Break A Super Committee Budget Deal. Business Insider "Like the recent earthquake, the Budget Control Act of 2011 left Washington shaken and completely confused." But the "golden rule in Washington" is that "cutting pay/benefits for veterans is politically lethal." Therefore, with "veterans' benefits off the table and immeasurable caps on national defense, Congress would ultimately have to (gasp) raise taxes." 

16.Second Fisher House Approved For Palo Alto VA. Palo Alto (CA) Weekly  "A second Fisher House to provide on-campus housing for veterans and their families while receiving treatment at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System has been approved by Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. Fisher House provides high-quality, temporary lodging for families of active-duty military personnel and veterans who are referred to Palo Alto VA for specialized inpatient and outpatient treatment, Palo Alto VA spokeswoman Kerri Childress said." The Weekly adds that on Sept. 16th, the Palo Alto VA will break ground on a $10 million Defenders' Lodge, which is a "gift to veterans from the Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation."

17.Military Suicides Linked To Low Omega-3 Levels. Los Angeles Times  "Booster Shots" blog reports that research published Aug. 24 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry has "linked military suicides to low levels of docosahexaenoic acid and found that service personnel with higher levels of DHA in their blood were less likely to take their own lives." Researchers "looked back at the medical records of 800 US servicemen and women who took their own lives between 2002 and 2008, and compared them with the records of 800 service personnel -- matched for age, gender and rank -- who had no history of suicide attempts." They found that "men whose records showed they had low levels of DHA in their blood were 62% more likely to have been suicide victims than those with the highest levels." 

18. Hull Hospital Pioneers Gulf War Syndrome Treatment. BBC News "Researchers at the University of Hull believe they have found a treatment for people with Gulf War Syndrome." Dr. Stephen Atkins and his "team at the Hull York Medical School introduced the treatment"; and of the 11 veterans with Gulf War Syndrome sent to the infirmary, "nine were diagnosed with a rare problem with their pituitary gland which led to a deficiency of certain hormones, such as testosterone and thyroxin." Those patients are now being treated "with injections to replace the missing hormones." 
19. Claim Payments For Three New "AO" Illness Surpass 84,000.  Douglas (AZ) Dispatch "More than 84,000 Vietnam veterans afflicted with heart disease, Parkinson's disease or B-cell leukemia are drawing disability compensation today thanks to a decision by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki to expand the list of ailments presumed caused by exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange, used during that war." Moreover, another "74,000 veterans have claims pending, and will only need to show VA that they set foot in Vietnam and have one of the diseases added last year to the list of Agent Orange 'presumptive' conditions." 

20.Final Group Of Wounded Warriors To Be Transferred From Walter Reed.  Washington Times "The Department of Defense is stating that about 200 outpatient wounded warriors at the soon-to-be closed Walter Reed Army Medical Center facility will be transferred this weekend to the nearby National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD." The "wounded warriors will be cheered on during the final transfer on Sunday from early morning throughout the day by the DC Chapter of FreeRepublic. The group has been known to stand outside the front gates of Walter Reed every Friday since 2005, regardless of harsh seasonal weather conditions or national holidays." 

21.Singer Records Song For Walter Reed Patients. Boston Globe  Interview with singer Stevie Nicks about a song she recorded that "grew out...visits with wounded soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center." Nicks said she wants the song to be a "rehabilitative tool" for such soldiers. 

22.Task Force Commander Pleased With Military Healthcare Facilities Realignment. American Forces Press Service  "As the largest-ever realignment of military health care facilities nears culmination, the commander of the task force executing the effort is pleased with how it has gone. 'The process has gone extraordinarily smoothly,' Navy Vice Adm. (Dr.) John M. Mateczun said" this week, "during an interview with the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service. Joint Task Force National Capital Region Medical was created in 2007 to oversee a base realignment and closure law mandate to close Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and Malcolm Grow Medical Center at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, and to consolidate care at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and a new Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in Virginia." 

23.Eastern Kentucky University Urged To Incorporate VA's VetSuccess Program. Eastern Progress  To help vets transition to college life, VA has "has begun a new program called VetSuccess, which sets up an office with VA counselors close at hand on campuses to offer help and advice as needed. Four campuses have incorporated VetSuccess offices and four more are making arrangements to get offices on their campus." If Eastern Kentucky University wants "to be a Vet-friendly campus," it "should work to bring programs like this and more (especially ones students can get involved in)" to the school. 

24.Severely Injured: Operation Mend Brings Life To Wounded Service Members.  KSWB-TV  A program "called Operation Mend has provided reconstructive surgery to nearly 45 injured military members." Operation Mend is a "partnership with Brooke Army Medical Center and UCLA offering reconstructive surgery for service members disfigured in war." KSWB added, "The Operation Mend program is open to receiving donations."  

25. Wounded Vets Get Help In Starting Their Own Businesses.  Pacific Business News "Fred Shaw started a towing company after he received a medical discharge from the Army, and the 21-year veteran wants other soldiers who were wounded or injured in the line of duty to know that there is life after the military." Discharged from the Army "a little more than a year ago because of a severe back injury," Shaw contemplated starting a business. He "turned to the Soldier and Family Assistance" for help; and Shaw is now the proud owner of "Warrior Express Towing." 
26. VetBiz Again Poses Hurdle For Joint Venture. Washington Business Journal  "Fedbiz Daily" blog reported, "For the second time, registration requirements from the Department of Veterans Affairs prevented a joint venture from winning the award of a contract set aside for small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans -- this time stopping the protest in its tracks." Peachtree City, Georgia-based Pro South-Emcon objects to the "award of a contract for replacement of air handling units at a VA Medical Center" in Memphis, Tennessee. The joint venture "argues that the agency improperly based its award determinations on the awardees' lower prices and failed to properly consider the solicitations' non-price evaluation factors." 

27.Perry, Romney and VA Deputy Secretary To Attend Veterans Of Foreign Wars Convention. San Antonio Express-News  "Republican presidential hopefuls Gov. Rick Perry and Mitt Romney will be in San Antonio this week for the Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention, but for the first time in its 112-year history, no one from the White House has committed to making an appearance." Officials with the "nation's largest combat veterans association said they have about 8,000 registrants, many of whom are battling airport cancellations from Hurricane Irene to make it to the downtown Convention Center for Monday" when Perry is "scheduled to take the stage." Romney will speak Tuesday; and there will be "free appearances" by Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary W. Scott Gould and former US Marine Commandant Gen. James Conway. Meanwhile, President Obama is scheduled to speak Aug. 30 at the American Legion's annual convention in Minneapolis. 

28. Thieves Steal Copper At Florida VAMC Construction Site. WFTV-TV "Orange County is working to find out how thieves stole copper from the construction site of the VA medical center. Orlando Police say somebody broke in at Lake Nona's medical facility. ... The VA medical center is a 2-million square foot facility, that's costing taxpayers $655 million to build. On Wednesday night someone stole between $6,000 and $12,000 worth of copper here. ... The VA wouldn't tell us what security it has, but from the road we could see an easily accessible fence and only one secure guard at the front." 

29.Linda Barbera Strives To Keep Veterans And Others Out Of Prison.  Delco (PA) News Network  "Delaware County Council, District Attorney G. Michael Green and Court of Common Pleas President Judge Joseph P. Cronin recently announced the Delaware County Veterans Justice Initiative, which would include a Veterans Treatment Court. A 15-member task force" has been appointed to "study implementation of the initiative." Task force member Linda Barbera, Delaware County Mental Health Treatment Court Coordinator, said the Veterans Treatment Court will "help connect these men and women with the service that they are entitled to and deserve." The Veterans Justice Initiative and Veterans Court "will be a collaborative effort of the Criminal Justice Advisory Board of Delaware County and the Veterans Administration in Coatesville, Chester County."

30.Horses Help Local Service Members With Combat-Related Stress Disorders.  WTLV-TV US military "members suffering from combat-related stress have a new therapy option. Naval Hospital Jacksonville has teamed with PX Equine Enterprises" in Green Cove Springs, Florida, "to develop a pilot program for post-deployed service members. The therapy uses horses to improve emotional, psychological and social well-being of the participants."

31. American Legion Fighting A Battle Of Its Own.  Minneapolis Star Tribune  "As delegates convene on Saturday at the Minneapolis Convention Center for the national convention of the American Legion, the nation's largest wartime service organization will be in the midst of a fight of its own -- to stay relevant." The American Legion "needs to recognize the value of online services and issues such as women in the military." Moreover, it will "have to balance the needs of the vast bubble of Vietnam-era veterans -- who now make up the bulk of the 2.4 million member organization -- with a new generation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans." Nationally, American Legion membership is "down from a high of 3 million members." 

32.DAV Representative Reaches Out To Veterans At Air Show. WSCH-TV  "One of the planes flying [during an air show in Brunswick, Maine] was the B-55 bomber...used during world WWII." And, Lyn May of the Disabled American Veterans was there to "raise awareness for disabled veterans." May was shown saying, "A lot of veterans...especially the younger ones" do not know about available benefits. DAV can "provide transportation for them" or help them fill out claims.

33.Montco Lawyer Michael Choi Guilty Of Green-Card Conspiracy. Philadelphia Inquirer  Pennsylvania Governor's Advisory Commission on Asian-American Affairs Chair Michael Choi, whose law practice "grabbed headlines" for class-action lawsuits related to Agent Orange, was found guilty in a US District Court Friday for fraudulently obtaining green cards for clients. After a three-hour deliberation, the jury "found Choi guilty of all charges except one count of tax evasion. He remains in custody, and sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 22."